Charles Sheehan, of the Chicago Tribune, reports former Chicago Bears DB Jerry Azumah had over $250,000 stolen from him by a cleaning woman who forged his signature on personal checks taken from his downtown condominium. Wanda Zielinski deposited most of the checks into her own bank account, prosecutors said Saturday, May 13. Zielinski is charged with 20 felony counts of forgery and theft and is held on $200,000 bond. Court documents say Zielinski was hired to clean Azumah's downtown condominium in March of 2005 and she forged and deposited 10 of his personal check into her personal bank account over the next year. The 19 checks were worth more than $251,000. Assistant State's Attorney Molly Riordan said, "A total of $173,000 of that amount is frozen in CD and savings accounts in the defendant's name, but it's the victim's money. The remainder of the amount has been spent."

The Associated Press reports Chicago Bears CB Jerry Azumah has retired after a seven-year tenure in the NFL. Azumah, 28, retired due to neck and hip pain the past two seasons. "This has been a great ride," Azumah said. "It's nothing to cry about or hold my head down to. Just looking at everything I accomplished and achieved, being here with the Bears and how they've embraced me, has been tremendous."

John Mullin, of the Chicago Tribune, reports Chicago Bears CB Jerry Azumah will be retiring because of an arthritic hip condition that flared in training camp and cost him the best part of his 2005 season. As noted earlier, the Bears will hold a news conference Thursday, March 23, to announce Azumah's plans.

The Associated Press reports the Chicago Bears have scheduled a news conference for Thursday, March 23, with free agent CB Jerry Azumah. The team and Azumah's agent declined comment Wednesday, March 22, about the news conference.

Mike Mulligan, of Chicago Sun-Times, reports Chicago Bears CB Jerry Azumah (hip) may be forced into retirement because of injuries, according to several sources. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo confirmed Azumah underwent hip surgery after the season. ''Maybe he'll be brand new; we don't know yet,'' Angelo said. ''The No. 1 thing is we want to make sure, as he does, that he's healthy and can go on leading a normal life after football. That is first and foremost with his agent, with Jerry and obviously with us.'' His agent, Jon Feinberg, said retirement speculation was "incredibly premature."

K.C. Johnson, of the Chicago Tribune, reports Chicago Bears CB Jerry Azumah (hip) left the team's Week 19 playoff game in the second half with a hip injury. Azumah, an unrestricted free agent who likely played his last game as a Bear, claimed he wasn't injured but refused to elaborate.

The Chicago Tribune reports while the Chicago Bears' coaching staff has not made it official, players have said Bears CB Rashied Davis will return kickoffs in the NFC Divisional Playoff game Sunday, Jan. 15, against the Carolina Panthers. Davis will replace CB Jerry Azumah (hip), who has battled hip soreness all season.